Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a heat conversion device including a thermoelectric element.
Description of the Related Arts
In general, a thermoelectric element including a thermoelectric device has a structure in which a PN junction pair is formed by bonding a p-type thermoelectric material and an n-type thermoelectric material between metal electrodes. When a temperature difference is provided between the materials of this PN junction pair, electric power is generated by the Seebeck effect so that a thermoelectric element can serve as a power generating device. Also, the thermoelectric element may be used as a temperature controlling device by the Peltier effect in which one material of the PN junction pair is cooled and the other material is heated.
In such a case, the thermoelectric element may be applied as a device that performs both dehumidification and drying of entering air by forming a radiant heat member on a heat emission part and a heat absorption part. However, in this case, even though the air entered from the thermoelectric into the heat absorption part is primarily dehumidified, and the air is then introduced to the heat emission part arranged at an upper portion of the thermoelectric element so as to be dried, it is problematic in that dehumidification efficiency is reduced because the flow of air is increased and flow path resistance is generated. In order to settle this problem, there is a way to entirely make the flow of air strong by increasing the strength of entering air, but this way leads to an increase of power consumption and an increase in noise. Thus, it is problematic in that performance as a dehumidifier is very reduced.